Overview

The Qiu Shi Science & Technologies Foundation was established by Mr. CHA Chi Ming (1914-2007) and his family in Hong Kong in 1994. It was named after the present Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, formerly known as Qiu Shi Academy. In Chinese, “Qiu Shi” means the pursuit of truth. The primary mission of the Foundation is to promote scientific and technological progress in China by recognizing and rewarding successful Chinese scientists and scholars.

The Foundation’s advisory board consists of a group of distinguished and internationally acclaimed scientists, namely, Professors Chen Ning YANG, ZHOU Guangzhao, Yuet Wai KAN, David HO, HAN Qide, SUN Jiadong, and SHI Yigong. The late Professor Shiing-Shen CHERN, an acclaimed mathematician, and Professors Yuan Tseh LEE and Andrew Chi-Chih YAO were also our former advisors. Our advisors are solely responsible for the selection and evaluation of candidates for the various Qiu Shi Awards.

From 1994 to 2014, at last count, Qiu Shi Awards have been bestowed upon 248 outstanding Chinese scientists, representing the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, engineering and so on. Respectively, 1 individual had received the Qiu Shi Lifetime Achievement Award, 23 for the Outstanding Scientist Award, 139 for the Outstanding Young Scholar Award, and 85 for the Outstanding Scientific Research Team Award.

Over the years, the Foundation had launched the Qiu Shi Graduate Student Scholarship and the Cha Chi Ming & Liu Bie Ju Undergraduate Student Scholarship in over 20 universities, to award outstanding Ph.D. and undergraduate students. The Foundation has so far granted close to 8000 scholarships. The Foundation is also dedicated to promote exchange between Chinese scientists and the leading international research institutes, by sponsoring Chinese visiting scholars to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, and funding educational programs such as the Chi-Chih Yao experimental class at Tsinghua University.

In 1998, in collaboration with the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), the Foundation had set up the CAST Qiu Shi Outstanding Young Scholar Award, comprising of the Science and Technology Commercialization Award and the Applied Engineering Award. The first Award recognizes young researchers from both industry and academia who have contributed to the commercialization of scientific and technological inventions. The Engineering Award recognizes young researchers who have made major breakthroughs in the frontlines of national defense and technological innovations, such as aerospace engineering, information technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutics, and so on.

Through its many endeavors, Qiu Shi has unwaveringly stood by its original value: “Assistance instead of Accolade”. By rewarding original and innovative research, advocating for scientific integrity and the scientific and humanistic spirit, it is our fervent hope that our efforts in nurturing scientific talents will help build solutions to the varied and complex challenges faced not only by China, but by all of humanity.